The Sun was setting quietly behind the clouds. It was sunset time and everyone was tired and exhausted from working all day long. Huang Dewei just finished his last session with Fu Heng. He greeted goodbye to his master as he turned over and walked out. The whole sessions with Fu heng had been tiring but successful. He learnt about royal customs, traditions and rules which would very useful for him after becoming the concubine. It was hard work but it will beneficial for him in coming future.

Today he also practised how to walk and behave while wearing those heavy clothes and he was exhausted and worn out by the end. However, without wasting any time he went back to his room where a servant with another set of expensive clothes was waiting for him. He greeted him and took his clothes while the servant walked out.

Today in the evening, before the concubine ceremony which was taking place tomorrow, the royal family dinner was going to take place. He has to get ready for that dinner by tonight. He looked at the white clothes given to him and sighed. He hates wearing these expensive heavy royal clothes...It make me feel fake and elite which he was not. He walked and hang the clothes to the side then fell down on the bed and lay there staring blankly at the white ceiling. He wanted to get some rest...he will get ready in some time since there was still time before the royal dinner.

Later in the evening, Huang Dewei got ready as he wore off fancy expensive clothes which were given to him. He brushed his hair which was growing back up slowly and looked at himself one last time when there was a knock on the door. The door was open and his family entered inside. They were also ready to wear their expensive luxury clothes. Most likely Wang Lei provided them since they can't afford that expensive clothes or jewellery just like Huang Dewei.

'Look how beautiful these clothes are son.' His mother happily said as she showed him their clothes and Huang Dewei just smile in response.

'I think we should be going now before we got late.' Daiyu said as she reminded them all not to be late for the royal dinner. With one gaze at each other, they all came out of his room and reached the royal palace hall where this family gathering was going to take place. It was a small private gathering. Wang Lei was present alongside his father Wang Wei and the family members of Xin Ying, Chen Ju, An Cong and Huang Dewei. It was a traditional dinner which usually takes before any wedding or concubine's ceremony for the Emperor where old family members welcomed the new family members. However, the way Huang Dewei and his family were getting treated by the present royal family, he was extremely nervous and prayed that everything went well for him.

As he entered inside with his family, everyone present there ignored them. His family greeted others but no one welcomes them or even bother greeting them. Huang Dewei already felt misfit as he sighed. Wang Lei was the one who walked toward them and greeted them. He welcomes them and asked to them sit around the dining table.

There was a huge wooden table in the middle. The table was filled with flowers and candle lights with place left for food to be served. The chairs around the table had names written on them to indicate which place was allocated for who. Each family was sitting together. Huang Dewei walked and sat down next to the first chair next to Wang Lei. Usually, after becoming his concubine he would be sitting at the end of the table since he was his last concubine, but today they were highlighted so he was sitting right next to him. Xin Ying with her parents were sitting right across from him and then An Cong's family was next to him while Chen Ju was next to Xin Ying's family. Wang Lei sat in the middle at the end of the table while Wang Wei sat at the other.

'They all settle down on their chairs which were all decorated and made sure to make it comfortable for them to sit. They all have cushions in them and that's when Huang Dewei noticed that their chair had no cushions. Whoever arranged it did it on purpose, however, it was not like Huang Dewei and his family lived luxurious life so even though their chairs were not as comfortable he was still fine. But Qianfan noticed the same thing and he did not like that mistreatment.

'Your Majesty , are you trying to tell us that we belong to different backgrounds than others?' Qianfan said and everyone looked up at him. Even the maids and servants who were putting food on the tables stopped

'What do you mean?'

'There is a difference in our chairs. There are no cushions for us. These chairs are uncomfortable.' Qianfan said as he pointed towards their chairs while complaining and for the first time, Wang Lei the difference and he did not like that difference either.

'Father, what's wrong with you? It is fine.' Huang Dewei quickly whispered to his father trying to calm him down as he does not want to embarrass Wang Lei.

'We are fine, your Majesty .' Huang Dewei quickly said as he bowed down

'But I am not fine...send the one who was in charge was making these arrangements.' Wang lei said to one of the servants who nodded his head and walked out. He came back with the manager who arranged everything. He bowed respectfully as he greeted him.

'Did you call for me, your Majesty?'

'Don't you know how to arrange a family gathering? Is that your first time? Why cushions are missing from some chairs...that is disrespectful and I will not tolerate that.' Wang Lei screamed and the manager got scared and frightened by the Emperor's anger as he slowly looked up at Wang Wei. He did this on his orders and by the way he looked up towards Wang Wei, Wang Lei understood it was his father behind it. He felt even angrier.

'Do you not want your job?' Wang Lei screamed

'I apologised, your Majesty ...It was by mistake.' The servant said as he accepted his mistake and did not take Wang Wei's name who sighed in relief. Wang Lei already hate him and that would just add more reasons. He did not know that Wang Lei would care this much about the cushions. He just wanted to humiliate Huang Dewei and his family.

'Apology not accepted...you are fir...' Wang Lei screamed as he was about to give a new order to the manager that he was fired when his gaze fell on Huang Dewei who looked toward him with disapproval and Wang Lei stopped in the middle of his order. He knew how much Huang Dewei hate when people get fired from their jobs and lost their way of earning for their families. Wang Lei sighed then composed back himself as he spoke up again

'That is your last warning...you have a minute.... go and get cushions for the other chair...now.' Wang Lei screamed and ordered him and the manager quickly nodded his head and with rapid steps walked out to fulfilled Emperor's order. Huang Dewei smiled and Wang Lei looked away while Xin Ying saw that moment happening. She saw Wang Lei changing his order just because of the look Huang Dewei gave him. Whatever connection they had...Xin Ying knew it was strong and strong enough that there was no space for her in both men's hearts. He could not help and felt maybe anger... or jealousy...or hate inside her towards Huang Dewei...She can't describe her feeling but all she knew was that his presence had started bothering her way more than she thought it would.

The manager came back with cushions and placed them on the chair and walked out thanking god that he did not lose his job. They all comfortably sat down on the chairs back and soon the dinner was served. Huang Dewei kept his new learning manner remembered in his head as he does not want to further embarrass himself and he did everything very carefully. He was extremely nervous and stressed and wanted this dinner to be over as soon as possible.

He hardly ate anything and Wang Lei noticed that. He understood how anxious and under pressure he was so he moved and put his hand over his thigh as insurance under the table, hidden from others. Huang Dewei snapped his head towards him who gave him insurance to calm down. Huang Dewei felt a little better with his support as he moved and grabbed his hand tightly. He wanted to hold him to feel even better and to make sure he was there for him. Wang Lei was surprised by the way how tightly he grabbed his hand but said nothing as he smile and went back to his food.

Slowly they finished their food and the servants started cleaning the table then it was dessert session time while Wang Lei's hand was still in his grip but now he was playing with his hand unconsciously. Wang Lei looked towards him and could not help and felt happy having his hand in his embrace. It was a nice feeling that he was holding on to him.

The maids and servants served the desserts to everyone and put a plate in front of Huang Dewei as well. It was a peanut cake and Huang Dewei looked at the cake as he spoke up

'I am fine...I won't be having the cake.' Huang Dewei said to the maid to take away the cake as everyone looked at him.

'Did no one teaches you that you eat everything served to you on the table at the royal gathering? It is our tradition. ' Wnag Wei taunted with dislike as he was waiting for an opportunity for Huan Dewei to do something wrong and he can jump on him.

'It's nothing like this...' Huang Dewei try saying but Wang Lei cut him off first

'That is a bad manner Huang Dewei and it applies to everyone so just eat. Even if you are full try eating it...you can make some space for a small cake slice.' Wang Lei said Huang Dewei sighed as he helplessly looked towards his family who also signal him just eat it even though they knew why he can't eat. They can't say no to his Majesty neither they wanted to earn his anger. What if he breaks off the whole relationship that will be taking place soon between him and Huang Dewei? Huang Dewei sighed then put the spoon in the cake and picked up a bite to eat while Xin Ying was watching all of this. Does not matter that she was feeling bothered by his presence she still felt sad for him. She still had no idea why he was tolerating so much for Wang Lei. She does not want to help him but she still ends up doing it as she spoke up.

'He can't eat it...he is allergic to nuts. I believe someone's life is more important than following the tradition.' Xin Ying said and they all looked towards her little surprised how she knew that except Wang Lei who knew how she knew so much about him. Wang Lei did not know about his peanut-allergic otherwise he would never have forced him like this.

' I read this in his working file. He is Wang Lei's bodyguard and I looked up at his file to gather information about the one who will be protecting my husband ...it is written in his working file.' Xin Ying lied to everyone else who nodded their head and went back to their food satisfied with her answer while Wang Lei knew she was lying. Wang Lei was the one who read his working file and there was no discussion regarding his nuts allergic. Wang Lei knew how she knew about that...it was because they were lovers in the past. The fact that she probably knew more about him than Wang Lei does makes him mad and furious. He angrily pulled away his hand from Huang Dewei's grip and Huang Dewei was left shocked.

'Take away the dessert. Someone's life is more important than any tradition.' Wang Lei coldly ordered the servant who did his job while he angrily went back to eating his dessert. Huang Dewei was still astonished and stunned looking at him. He could tell he was mad but why? Is he mad that he did not eat the dessert despite the fact that he was allergic to it? Huang Dewei looked at him who completely ignored him and he felt even worse. What was happening? What he did do wrong this time to earn this harsh treatment from Wang Lei? Huang Dewei thought... And that was just the beginning...his life was going to be very hard and he need to mentally prepare himself.

The rest of dinner went in silent as they all ate the food and then they all got up and walked back to their rooms. It was such a boring event especially since they all made Huang Dewei and his family feel like a misfit. It was like their existence was nothing to them, but truthfully Huang Dewei was getting a little stronger now. Their ignorance does not hurt him as much as Wang Lei's anger does and he had no idea why he reacted like this.

All he could think was that Wang Lei was angry because he did not finish the stupid cake and if he knew he would be this mad, he most likely would have eaten the cake without a word and would just have tolerated the pain afterwards. Maybe that tradition was extremely important to him and now Huang Dewei was regretting it. Only if Xin Ying would not speak up and he could have silently eaten the cake and everything would have been fine. He was restless knowing Wang Lei was mad at him so soon after dinner was finished, he came to his chamber. He knocked on the door and entered his room